Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Byrne for raising this matter.

As she is aware, the swimming pool programme, as administered by my Department, provides grant aid towards the capital costs of new public swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing public swimming pools. The programme provides for a maximum grant aid of €3.8 million per project.

Four principal stages must be undertaken to develop a swimming pool project. They are as follows: A preliminary report, including a feasibility study; contract documents; tender stage; and, finally, construction stage. The Department's technical adviser evaluates each stage. Projects may not proceed to the next stage until prior approval has been issued by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

I understand that the 50 m pool at the University of Limerick was opened in January 2002 with the majority of funding being provided by the then Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism. The facility included a pool boom that allows the swimming pool to be segregated into different sizes thus allowing it to be used in multiple formats at the same time.

Swim Ireland has a pool usage agreement with the UL Sport Arena. The agreement gives access to the pool for training and competition. The agency established a full-time performance centre at the facility that ensures swimmers receive 50 m pool access, specialist coaching, gym access and additional support services to help them reach their sporting potential.

I am aware that Swim Ireland first started to highlight the need to upgrade the pool boom some years ago. In 2015, the facility was inspected by engineers who agreed that the best overall solution was to replace the existing boom with a new one. Accordingly, in 2016, UL wrote to Sport Ireland and my Department seeking assistance towards the replacement cost of the boom. Swim Ireland supported the request. It highlighted the fact that the lack of a boom was having an impact on training and competition opportunities for swimmers in the region. The request was considered within my Department. Earlier this year my predecessor, the Minister of State, Deputy Patrick O’Donovan, and the Minister approved a once-off allocation towards the cost of the replacement of the moveable boom in UL's swimming pool. The necessary administrative work has continued in the interim.

Last month, my Department gave approval to UL to proceed to seek tenders for the replacement boom. I understand that it is hoped to have the necessary work completed next year during the summer academic recess thus allowing the continued use of the facility for high-performance swimming and competition.

The sport sector is recognised as having positive social, cultural and health benefits for individuals and broader society. It is an integral part of Government policy to provide funding for such infrastructure.I will check if that timeline can be moved forward, particularly, as the Senator outlined, in light of the impact the lack of a pool boom is having on the facility, on competition, on performance and on activity in the area. I will check if anything can be done with in terms of the timeline.